Cooling apparatus



v citizen of the United States,

` 30 said extended f 4. This porous partition 7 is i -rvria11rr-v orner. l

HENRY E. LEAVITT, F BERKELEY, (.'LAIIZIFORNIA.

. COOLING AIEPBATUS. l

.application filed May 7,

To all 'whom z'tmay concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY E. Lmvir'r, a residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Cooling Apparatus, of which the following is a specication.

The present invention relates to cooling apparatus, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and eliicient apparatus of this character, by which a cooling effect can be obtained and maintained by the evap- 'oration of water and without the use of ice.' l

Inl the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is avertical section of my invention as applied to a domestic refrigerator; Fig. 2 is va horizontal lsection thereof on the line 2-2 of-y F ig. l; Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged seci ltional viewsof details.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a receptacle for containing vmaterial which 1t .is desirable to maintain cool, shown in this case as-provided with the necessary shelves '25 2, for -supporting the material thereon. In

the top of said receptacle is supported von v lugs 5 an annular trough 3, the outer wall 4 of'said trough being extendedl upward to a considerable hei ht,'and the space between cover6.

7 Aindicates a-porous partitlon in the shape f lof an invertedfpanor box of porous material, such'as terra cotta, the o utllne of the partition being similar in lform to, but of less dimensions, than the outline. of the wall laced .with

its lower edge on the bottom o the trou h and is` here shown of such form that said I 40 edge is at a `uniform distance from the outer wall 4 of the trough. The spaces between the artition .7 and the inner and outer walls o the trough are closed at the top by a packing A8 of flax,

` which swells when it becomes wet, and, therefore, makes .a very tight packing. This 4packing is covered with a cement' 9 such as is used for covering the tops of corks to prevent evaporation of the contentsof bottles. The trough beneath the packing 1s then filled with water poured into the funnel-shaped mouth 10 of al glass tube 11 which communicates with the interior of the trough below the packing. Preferably on commenc- Y ing to.use the apparatus salt water is used.

The space 17 'between t eA partition 7 and Specification of Letters Patent.

wa ls v'4 being inclosed .by av duce the required Patented oct.11,1921. 1919. Serial N0. 295,439.

'lled with water or brine and the pump y started, the water 'ascends by capillarity and permeates the whole of the terra cotta partitlon and exudes from both surfaces thereof. At the same time, a partial vacuum is created in the compartment 17 between the partition 7 and the cover 6. This vacuum produces a rapid evaporation of the water from the upper surface of the partition andaconsequent rapid coolin of the partition. If the vacuum pulnp 1s suiiic1entlf powerful, the water will vbe eva orate las' rapidly as it can appear at tllfe ,surface of the partition. One result of this is 'that the under. side is, therefore, also cooled, and the density of the air thereunder 1s increased and it consequently sinks to the bottom of the receptacle 1, its place being taken by warmer air ascendin through said receptacle. After a certain time, all of thefair in the receptacle 1 has been reduced to, and -is maintained at, the temperature of the under side of the partition 7, thus maintaming the contents of the receptacle at the same temperature.

The level. of the water in the trough will gradually sink as said water is evaporated, and may be ascertained by'inspection of the glass tube 11 on which is marked a red line 16 corresponding to the lower surface of to the effective top of the trough The cost of the electricity required to run a motor driving a pump necessary to vpromost places than .-,that of the necessary ice 'and is much more convenient to use in localities where electricity is supplied from a central station. The advantage of my improve-l ment will, therefore, be readily apparent.

vacuum is much less in When the temperature reaches a predeter' mined minimum, the electric circuit, which is suppliedto the motor from any suitable source of power 18, is cut olf by a thermostat 19 of any desired form within the receptacle 1, a conventional form being here shown.

l Itis understood that varlous changes in form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within-the scope of the claims, may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages., of the invention.

ing moisture to said partition, means spaced from said partition and independent of said chamber for forming with said porous partition a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump communicating with said vacuum chamber and means for operating said pump.

inseaaaa 2. ln a cooling apparatus, a chamber for' containing material to be cooled, a partition of porous material of inverted box-shaped form extending across said chamber, a liquid holding trough, in which the lower edge of said partition is inverted, for supplyling mois'- ture to said partition, means on the side of said porous partition remote from said charnber for forming with said porous partitiona vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump communi# eating with said vacuum chamber, and means for operating said pump.

narrar n. nnavirr, 

